EU report finds discrimination against minorities

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
More than half the ethnic minorities and immigrants in the European Union believe that discrimination is widespread where they live, with Gypsies and Africans reporting the most abuse, a new study said Wednesday. The report, the first of its kind by the EU's Fundamental Rights Agency, found many of those questioned said they have experienced discrimination in the last year when looking for work or trying to get a bank loan. The study said 55 percent of immigrants and minorities think that "discrimination based on ethnic origin is widespread in their country." Of those asked, 37 percent say they faced discrimination in the past year, but 80 percent of those people acknowledged they did not report the problem to police. The survey questioned 23,500 people from ethnic and immigrant minorities across the 27-nation EU to examine their experiences of racism or discrimination.